Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Portugal

16 years walking as CLM!

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On January 25 (1998), at the home of the Comboni Missionaries in Maia (Porto) began the adventure of the Comboni Lay Missionaries in Portugal. Many were those who attended this first meeting, and God intended, with the efforts of some, that this exhilarating adventure continues today.
At present, the CLM, inside and outside its borders, testify of Christ as St. Daniel Comboni did. In fact, for us: “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3: 28), so we proclaim Christ – Light of the World and joy of Humanity – to all men and women. For us, this challenging call passes through the explicit announcement as well as the development and human promotion.

16 years later, we are part of the larger Comboni Family and in particular, of the great CLM family extended worldwide. Today, we want to leave a thank you to all who “sow and look after” the CLM seed and all that, with us, continue to live this exciting adventure that makes us dare to go further in the ways of the mission.

by Susana Vilas Boas

Echoes of Christmas 2013 meeting

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“All different, but all united in Comboni wearing the face and the Word of Jesus Christ here and beyond.”

We begin by thanking all those who have contributed directly or indirectly to make possible this Christmas gathering. We are grateful to Sandra for organizing the meeting, to Sister Carmen Ribeiro, Brother Paul and the secular missionary Joanna and Paula for sharing all that is essential for us, LMC candidates, to understand in particular this missionary vocation of the Comboni family. Thanks also to Father Avelino who shared his missionary experience and celebrated the Eucharist. Thanks, finally, to all others not mentioned but that they worked hard to make the meeting possible.

This meeting was full of smiles, hugs, moments of conviviality and animated dynamic. It was the sharing of a joy that with Jesus Christ reborn endlessly. This was a family reunion. We truly felt as a family. We are in the same boat and we rowed in the same direction. In this boat where they are not only all those with whom we live this weekend, but all the other members of the Comboni family no matter where they are and where are they from. We feel with renewed strength and with real and physical certainty of knowing united, not by blood, but by the same creator and make us share the same mission. All different in our vocation but all united in Comboni wearing the face and the Word of Jesus Christ here and there.

By Paula Sousa (Portugal)

 

 

The mission takes place when and where we let to happen

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The Community of Life of Porto went on mission again. From 9 to 10 of November we make mission animation in the parishes of Castelões, Pousada de Saramagos and Vermoim.

In our mission, we were surprised by the missionary and fraternal spirit with which we were received. In fact, on Saturday, the CLM Sandra and Carlos animated “moçambicanamente” the catechesis groups from 7th to 11th grades and the Eucharist – presided by Father Manuel Lopes (MCCJ) – had the collaboration of Susana (CLM) who briefly presented the reality of Central African Republic. At the end of the Eucharist, animation and missionary message continued with the particular involvement of the CLM Franquelim.

Always in communion with this parish, we accept the invitation of the catechists, and the deacon David, and share dinner with the young group following with a vigil of missionary prayer organized by this same group. There, everything spoke of mission. From our side, we saw missionary germinating seeds acting in the heart of this parish. Praise God for the wonders he made!

On Sunday, we went to the Inn of Saramagos and then to Vermoim. In these two parishes we celebrate the Eucharist where we could count with the presence of both the deacon David as the parish priest – Fr Carlos.

Ready to return home, some of us even went to Maia for another meeting of the Vocations Youth team where we met, as usual, all the Comboni Family represented in communion efforts to continue to sow seeds of missionary activity in the heart of so many young from the JIM group around the country.

CLM community from Porto

Resonances of the meeting: The Kingdom of God: myth or reality?

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“The Kingdom of God is a reality always under construction in each of us”

 Semente

The House of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, in Lisbon, hosted in the past weekend the laity who began their training in September, during the Missionary Conference in Fatima.

They were very intense days and true enrichment, thanks to the trainers, the Comboni Missionary Sister Carmo Ribeiro and the CLM Pedro Moreira.

The theme chosen for Reflection: The Kingdom of God: myth or reality? Was broadly welcomed and left, surely, the sweet taste that the Kingdom of God is a reality always under construction in each of us, and beyond being Church, goes further than it. Where, among other things, there are love, forgiveness, joy, humility, seeds of the Word, sometimes tiny, but the Spirit sows wherever and whenever He wants.

The Kingdom of God is the ultimate goal of all men and women. The Kingdom of God is Jesus Himself; therefore, The Kingdom of God is Love.

Thanks to all for the generous hospitality, for all you have given us and taught and the beautiful testimony of life and friendship.

S. Daniel Comboni was right when he said. “Fear not, I die, but my work will not die.”

By Rufina Garcia

 

World Mission Day

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In the past weekend we celebrated another world mission day and nothing better than to celebrate this day with your family! Well, another missionary party in the house of Famalicão which became a time of fellowship and sharing within our Comboni family. The community life of Porto, of the Comboni Lay Missionaries, was also present.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the canonization of St. Daniel Comboni, we began to prepare our hearts for this party on Saturday night with a missionary vigil. With the participation of some persons from the parish we could be in prayer and communion with the poor, remembering this year, all the slaveries that continue to exist and those that are emerging nowadays.

On Sunday, early in the morning, started to arrive buses and cars that brought all people who wanted to participate in this missionary celebration! Despite the threat of rain and, in some cases, the age and leg pain that does not forgive; We do not want to stop sharing the gift of joy of being together, to pray for all the people who suffer and is forgotten by most of the society and to be a missionary church, leading the good news throughout the land.

Conforming the welcoming, the tombola and the meeting led by Fr Victor Dias, we experienced an environment of fellowship and joy of being together. The highlight of our missionary celebration was the Eucharist. This year was officiated by P. António Martins, recently arrived from Peru and that it will integrate the community of Famalicão in which he will continue its mission. Also the Young from Lemenhe and Mouquim as members of the JIM group wanted to be with us, encouraging the celebration with singing.

After a nice packed lunch and a soup highly praised, we had the afternoon recreational and cultural groups from Vila Nune, Santa Maria de Oliveira and other local artists who sang and charmed our afternoon! Once we were all together celebrating 10 years of the canonization of St. Daniel Comboni, we ended the day by praying the Comboni family prayer, which continues to respond to God’s call, being perseverant and never losing hope.

Participate in this missionary celebration, sharing this ideal of Daniel Comboni with all these people who collaborate and make the mission possible is to realize his words: “I die but my work will not die”.

bySandra Fagundes